Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 16

1846  Eleven cutters were assigned to cooperate with Army and Navy in the Mexican War.  Cutters McLane, Legare, Woodbury, Ewing, Forward, and Van Buren were assigned to the Army.  Cutters Wolcott, Bibb, Morris, and Polk were assigned to the Navy.

1888  Secretary of Treasury was authorized to establish anchorage grounds New York Harbor, adopt suitable rules, and “take all necessary measures” for their enforcement.

1963  The Honorable Douglas Dillon, Secretary of the Treasury, at a ceremony at Cape May Receiving Center, awarded Life-Saving Medals to three enlisted men of the Coast Guard in recognition of their heroic action and performance of duty at the risk of their own lives.  Boatswain’s Mate First Class John C. Webb, coxswain of CG-36455 was awarded the Gold Life-Saving Medal and his crewmen, Engineman Third Class Anthony D. Lloyd and Seaman Ray Dwayne Duerre were each awarded a Silver Life-Saving Medal.  The awards were based on their rescue of three persons from a stranded pleasure craft disabled approximately two miles northwest of Cape Alava, Washington, on June 1, 1962.

May 17

1999  The Coast Guard “kept the peace” when the Makah Indian tribe hunted and killed a gray whale in Neah Bay, Washington.  The Makah were guaranteed the right to hunt whales in their 1855 treaty with the U.S.

May 18

1920  Coast Guard officers and enlisted personnel were granted the same pay, allowances and increases as the Navy.

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 15

1820  Congress declared the foreign slave trade to be piracy and instituted the death penalty for any U.S. citizen engaged in the slave trade.

USRC Naugatuck/aka E. A. Stevens (1862) Photo #: NH 58871 Line engraving published in Harper’s Weekly, circa spring 1862, when the gunboat was operating in the Hampton Roads area, Virginia. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-n/naugatck.htm

1862 Semi-submersible ironclad USRC Naugatuck participated in bombardment of Drewry’s Bluff (James River) after accompanying USS Monitor in its engagement with CSS Virginia and engaging in an attack on Sewell’s Point. USRC Naugatuck would continue in service until 1889.

US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT. Hamilton Hall center foreground.

1931  Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon laid the cornerstone of Hamilton Hall, the first building under construction at the “new” Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

The Cunard-White Star limited liner RMS Olympic, sister to the Titanic, passes very close aboard to the LV-117 on the Nantucket station in early January 1934. The light ship had been rammed already once that year in the fog, and the following May the Olympic actually collided with LV-117 and sent it to the bottom in seconds. Four crewmen went down with the ship while the Olympic rescued the remaining seven crewmen. Three of these men died later from injuries and exposure. The British Government paid for the construction of LV 112 as reparation for the accident. ref: US coast Guard

1934  The White Star Line passenger vessel RMS Olympic, in a dense fog, rammed and sank the lightship LV-117 on the Nantucket Shoals station.  Olympic, which had been homing in on the lightship’s radio beacon very accurately, failed to steer clear in time.  Seven of the lightship’s 11 crewmen were killed.  The White Star Line agreed to fund a new lightship.

USS Forsyth (PF-102) Tacoma Class frigate. As a weather ship, she would have had the after 3″ gun replaced by a balloon shelter.

1945  On 12 May, the Coast Guard-manned frigate USS Forsyth (PF-102) was called off her weather station to search through haze and fog for a German submarine that was attempting to surrender.  Three days later Forsyth joined Sutton (DE-771) in accepting the surrender of U-234 at 46º 39′ N. x 45º 39′ W.  This submarine was carrying a German technical mission and supplies, including a cargo of uranium, to Tokyo.  Earlier, two Japanese passengers on board committed suicide rather than surrender.

USS/USCGC Bangor (PF-16/WPF-16) Photographed in 1945-1946, while configured as a weather reporting ship with a balloon hangar aft. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974. U.S. Navy photo NH 78996. USS Forsyth would have looked like this at the time.

USCGC Modoc

1975  USCGC Modoc seized the Polish fishing vessel Kalmar 10 miles off Monterey, California, for fishing inside the 12-mile limit and escorted her to San Francisco.

USCGC Gallatin WHEC -721 (378), USCGC Rockaway WHEC-377 (311), and USCGC Spencer WHEC-36 (327) moored at Governor’s Island

1996  The Coast Guard formally closed Governors Island.  The Army left the base in the early 1960s and the Coast Guard took it over on June 3, 1966 as a way to consolidate its operations in the New York Area.  At the height of Coast Guard involvement on the island over 4,600 people lived and worked there.

Governors Island U.S. General Services Administration map; indicates U.S. Coast Guard usage, 1995

1997  Coast Guard Auxiliarist Frank Mauro, while assigned to Coast Guard UTB 41351, rescued nine victims who had been forced into the water after the strong current crushed their boat.  He was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for his heroic actions.

Naval News has an interesting post which includes the Video above. While the primary focus is on Singapore’s new class of “Multi-Role Combat Vessel,” there is also discussion about two classes of vessels that might provide inspiration for future cutter designs, Singapore’s “Littoral Mission Vessel” and Finland’s ice capable corvette. and how carbon fiber is used in these ships.

Singapore has been very successful in efforts to reduce manning requirements, and their contractor SAAB is a leader in carbon fiber structures.

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 13

1905  An Executive Order extended the jurisdiction of the Lighthouse Service to the noncontiguous territory of Guam Island.

1952  The Coast Guard announced the establishment of an Organized Reserve Training Program, the first in U.S. Coast Guard history.  Morton G. Lessans was sworn in as the first member of the Organized Air Reserve on December 12, 1951.

Former USCGC CRAWFORD as it served Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute 1956 to 1969. It was modified with endurance and range extended to 30 days and 6000 miles.

1986  CGC Manitou stopped the 125-foot Sun Bird in 7th District waters and her boarding team discovered 40,000 pounds of marijuana hidden aboard.  The boarding team then located the vessel’s builder’s plate and learned that the Sun Bird was the decommissioned “buck-and-a-quarter” cutter Crawford.  The former cutter and her 14-man crew were taken into custody.  A newspaper article describing the incident noted: “If Crawford was a person, Miami would have probably seen it blush…The ex-Coast Guard cutter received more publicity for smuggling the drugs than for its 20-year Coast Guard career.”

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 12

USRC Seneca, 1908

1906  In part due to the lobbying efforts of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York, Congress authorized the construction of a cutter “equipped to cruise for and destroy derelicts and obstructions to navigation” for the Revenue Cutter Service.  The Service contracted with the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company to build this “derelict destroyer,” which was christened USRC Seneca.  She was commissioned in 1908.

United States Coast Guard Lieutenant C. B. Olsen is awarded with the Flying Cross Medal in Washington DC. A close up of Lt. C. B. Olsen . US Secretary of Treasury Henry Mogenthau pins up the medal on the uniform of the Lt. and shakes hand with him. Location: Washington DC. Date: May 25, 1938.

1938  Lieutenant C. B. Olsen became the first Coast Guardsman to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.  He earned the award for “heroism in removing Lieutenant Colonel Gullion, U.S. Army, who was stricken with acute appendicitis, from the Army transport ‘Republic‘” after making an open-water landing near the freighter.

“Miami, Florida Air Station, at Dinner Key, Under General Muster, accompanied as well by Lieutenant C. B. Olsen, Commanding., 2 Jan. 1935.”
“HERE is a group of magnificent American flying men seen with Lt. Olsen, commanding. As usual, he is in disguise so some effort may be required to identify him.”

The Long Blue Line: Clarence Samuels—the U.S. military’s Afro-Latino color barrier buster!
A signed photo of Lt. Clarence Samuels commanding a Coast Guard vessel near the end of World War II. (U.S. Coast Guard Collection)

1939  Boatswain’s Mate First Class Clarence Samuels was appointed as a Chief Photographer’s Mate (Acting), becoming the first African-American photographer in the Coast Guard and only the second Coast Guard photographer in the entire history of the Service. (He had an amazing 27 year career including command of several ships.)

USCGC Wachusett (WPG/WHEC 44) No caption; 28 January 1966; Photo No. 040166-04; photographer unknown.

1957  CGC Wachusett, on Ocean Station NOVEMBER, halfway between Honolulu and San Francisco, rescued the two-man crew who had bailed out of a U.S. Air Force B-57 because of a fuel shortage.

1984  The Coast Guard was a primary participant in the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans.  The Coast Guard Barque Eagle was opened to the public and the fair’s organizers also chose the Coast Guard as the official honor guard for the exposition.  The service was also responsible for the exposition’s waterfront security.

1998  ADM Robert Kramek, Commandant of the Coast Guard, commissioned the Coast Guard’s Leadership Development Center (LDC) in New London.  The LDC consolidated the leadership training courses of the service, including Officer Candidate School, Chief Warrant Officer Indoctriniation School, the Chief Petty Officer Academy, Command and Operations School, Officer in Charge/Executive Petty Officer Course, and the Leadership and Quality Institute in one central location at the Coast Guard Academy.

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 11

USRC HUDSON At the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 21 April 1898 being outfitted for service in the Spanish-American War, which included adding additional armament, armor plating, and a new coat of “war paint” U.S. Coast Guard History website

1898  USRC Hudson towed the crippled USS Winslow from certain destruction under the Spanish forts at Cardenas, Cuba during the Spanish-American War.  Congress later conferred a Gold Medal of Honor on her commanding officer, Revenue First Lieutenant (later Commodore) Frank H. Newcomb.  His officers and crew were awarded Silver and Bronze Medals.

A veteran of the Civil War and the Spanish-American War, Lt. Frank Newcomb served for over 40 years in the U.S. sea services. He was a progressive thinking man and considered one of the finest officers of the Revenue Cutter Service. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

1908  The Revenue Cutter Service was authorized to enforce Alaska game laws.

USCGC Durant (serving as Coast Guard WDE 489), 1952-1954. Photo credit: Nick Tiberio, Shelton, Conn. Balloon shelter has been added. Armament retained from late WWII appears to include 3×3″/50, two twin 40mm, a quad 40mm, and two 20mm mounts.

1945  In the morning, four days after Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, the Coast Guard-manned destroyer escorts USS Vance and USS Durant, underway off the Azores escorting their last convoy to the Mediterranean, sighted a light ahead of the convoy.  They closed to investigate.  Durant illuminated the target, which was the surfaced German submarine U-873, which had been at sea for 50 days. Vance, while screened by Durant, hailed the “erstwhile enemy” over her public address system, established her identity, and then ordered her to heave to.  On board were seven officers and 52 enlisted men.  Vance placed a 21-man prize crew on board the captured U-boat and delivered the prize at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on May 16, 1945.

U.S Coast Guard 1309, San Diego Air & Space Museum

1963  Air Station San Francisco intercepted a teletype message from Fort Point Lifeboat Station to CG Radio Station San Francisco stating that the 36-foot F/V Pirate II had lost its engine and would be blown onto Seal Rocks within twenty minutes.  Coast Guard HH-19G helicopter CGNR-1309 was dispatched to assist.  The helicopter, commanded by LCDR Warren S. Petterson, located the fishing vessel in heavy surf and commenced “Operation Tugbird” by lowering a tow cable to Pirate II.  The helicopter then towed the vessel out of the surf and to a distance of one-half mile off shore where CG-82328 successfully took over.

Coast Guard offloads more than $14 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Caribbean Sea
The crew members from Coast Guard Cutter Venturous pose before preparing to offload a pallet of illegal narcotics at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, May 2, 2025. The seized contraband was the result of four interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crews of USCGC Diligence (WMEC-616) and HNLMS Groningen (P843) with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jessica Walker)

For a number of reasons the boundaries between Atlantic and Pacific Areas should be realigned so that the entire 4th Fleet / SOUTHCOM AOR is included in the Atlantic Area AOR, making Atlantic Area responsible for drug interdiction operations conducted in the entire SOUTHCOM AOR.

Ideally SOUTHCOM should only have to talk to one Coast Guard Area Command. It would also allow Atlantic Area to make better decisions about where to allocate resources.

As it is, Atlantic Area must see the Eastern Pacific as a Pacific Area responsibility. They are a supporting command. First they have to look after their own area of responsibility before supporting Pacific Area. In consequence it is likely the assignment of Atlantic Area assets may be being sub-optimized.

The Eastern Pacific is a “target rich environment.” We have been told there are not enough ships to intercept all the known targets. More assets are required. Those assets can come only from Atlantic Area in the form of WMECs.

The Evidence:

I looked back over three months of US Coast Guard News drug offload and NSC / WMEC end of patrol reports to compare drug interdiction statistics from the Eastern Pacific with those from the Caribbean, Gulf, and Northwestern Atlantic waters (that I will refer to as Western Atlantic areas). Also included were750 pounds of cocaine worth $18.8M seized by a Canadian Navy vessel in the Caribbean. These figures do not include drugs interdicted by FRCs or sector units. 

The differences were dramatic.

The street value of drugs interdicted in the Easter Pacific was 715% greater ($1,516.8M vs $186.1M).

The weight of drugs interdicted in the Eastern Pacific was 557% greater (146,304 pounds vs 22,270, some of the Atlantic Area contraband was marijuana rather than cocaine).

The number of individual interdictions in the Eastern Pacific was 223% greater (42 vs 13).

The weight of contraband of each interdiction in the Eastern Pacific is twice as large as those in the Western Atlantic areas, (3,483 pounds vs 1713).

During the period looked at, reports suggested that only three WMECs completed drug interdiction missions in the Western Atlantic areas while four WMECs completed Atlantic Area alien migrant interdiction operations.

Perhaps surprisingly, cutters in the Western Atlantic areas looking for drugs don’t intercept many migrants and cutters looking for migrants don’t find much in the way of drugs or even migrants. There were four WMEC patrols identified as looking for migrants. None of the four found any drugs. One intercepted no migrants. The three remaining patrols intercepted a total of 184.

While all the interceptions in the Eastern Pacific were made by Coast Guard vessels that was not the case on the Atlantic side. Six of the 13 interceptions were made by other agencies, three by a Netherlands Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel, two by a Navy Littoral Combat Ship, and one by a small Canadian Navy vessel.

The press releases reported the results of patrols by four NSCs and two WMECs in the Eastern Pacific. Of those six ships four were home-ported in Atlantic Area.

Notably the most successful Western Atlantic drug interdiction patrol, which accounted for six interceptions and 12,470 pounds, valued at $141M was made by USCGC Valiant, a small 210 foot cutter.

Given the greater endurance of the NSCs, their patrols would be longer than patrols by WMECs in the Western Atlantic areas, so we are looking at considerably more NSC/MEC drug interdiction ship days in the Eastern Pacific than in the Western Atlantic areas, but not enough to account for the differences.

Even if no Atlantic Area NSC/WMECs were assigned to conduct drug and alien interdiction in the Western Atlantic, those operations would continue using the large number of FRCs in the Atlantic Area (42) including 20 in D7 (Florida and Puerto Rico) alone and with the participation of partner agencies and allies in the drug interdiction effort. (There are only 15 FRCs in the Pacific Area; only four in California, and we have seen increased migrant activity on the West Coast.)

Geography: 

Looking at competing demands for allocation of resources broadly, about 85 percent of the US EEZ is in the Pacific Area, almost half is in the 14th District. In addition, the Coast Guard has obligations to support the three Compact of Free Association States, all in the Western Pacific, each of which has large areas of EEZ.

It may be counter intuitive, but thanks to the Panama Canal, US East Coast port in the are Closer to the Eastern Pacific drug transit zones than West Coast US ports.

For example, Portsmouth VA is about 650 miles closer than San Diego. Charleston, SC is more than 1200 miles closer than Alameda, CA.

Probably for this reason, the US Navy includes all of South America in the Atlantic Fleet Area of Operations. Fourth Fleet, a component of Atlantic Fleet is SOUTHCOM’s Naval component.

The Coast Guard Area boundaries split 4th Fleet and SOUTHCOM AORs.

Assets available: 

Atlantic Area has four NSCs and is expecting a fifth in Charleston. They are used primarily in the Eastern Pacific Drug transit zones.

Pacific Area has four NSCs in Alameda and two in Honolulu. These are employed for Alaskan fisheries patrols, countering Illegal, Unreported, Unreported fishing, and presence and capacity building in the Western Pacific.

Pacific Area has only three WMECs, one in the Pacific NW, one in Alaska, and one in Honolulu. None are likely to be used off Central and South America.

By contrast, even assuming two WMEC270s in the Coast Guard Yard for Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) Atlantic area has 17 WMECs, 10 WMEC270s and seven WMEC 210s.

Conclusions:

The Atlantic Area AOR should include the entire SOUTHCOM/4TH FLEET AOR.

Atlantic Area should be the single point of contact with SOUTHCOM/4TH FLEET for drug interdiction operations.

Generally all cutters conducting drug interdiction in the Eastern Pacific should come from Atlantic Area including most if not all NSC and WMEC270 patrol time. WMEC 210s should be able to handle all Western Atlantic drug and migrant interdiction requirements for larger cutters.

All WMEC270s should patrol with helicopter and UAS detachments.

The news releases I looked at are linked and summarized below. The dates you will see in bold are the dates of the press releases. Not included was USCGC Calhoun (WMSL 759) seizure of approximately 10,000 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $74 million in the Atlantic Ocean, April 12-13, 2025, much closer to Africa than to the continental US.

May 2, 2025, The top photo is of an offload reported here: “Coast Guard offloads more than $14 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Caribbean Sea.”,

The seized contraband was the result of four interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crews of USCGC Diligence and HNLMS Groningen with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment.

Note this does not include any contraband interdicted by USCGC Venturous.

May 2, 2025, We also have this report, “Coast Guard Cutter Alert returns home after 55-day patrol to counter illegal fishing in Gulf of America.” I think some people might be surprised that a cutter completed a 55 day patrol in the Gulf and did not intercept any illicit drug trafficking.

April 30 2025, “Coast Guard offloads over $12 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Caribbean Sea.”

“U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa’s crew ended Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale with the offload of approximately 3,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $12.3 million, Wednesday, at Port Everglades…The seized contraband was the result of two interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crew of USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul and their embarked Navy helicopter and Coast Guard law enforcement detachments.

Again the WMEC, USCGC Tampa, was offloading contraband seized by a partner rather than by the ship off loading the contraband.

April 24, 2025, “Coast Guard offloads more than $214 million worth of illegal cocaine in San Diego.”

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) offloaded approximately 18,898 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of more than $214.3 million, on Thursday in San Diego…The offload is a result of six separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by the Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and Coast Guard Cutter Forward during the months of February through April.

April 22, 2025, “Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returns home after 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage.”

While underway in the Windward Passage, Seneca’s crew interdicted an unsafe and illegal voyage with 99 aliens on board. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations aircrew initially detected the vessel. Seneca crew members launched a small boat, interdicting the voyage and transferring the aliens aboard Seneca before their repatriation to Haiti.

Apparently Seneca made no drug interdictions.

April 14, 2025, “Coast Guard Cutter Spencer returns home after Operation Vigilant Sentry patrol, service life extension upgrades.”

USCGC Spencer made neither drug nor alien interdictions.

USCGC James (WMSL 754) contraband interdicted during their 112-day deployment, April 8, 2025.

April 9, 2025, “Coast Guard Cutter James returns home after multi-month patrol, seizing $510M in narcotics and participating in advanced US Navy exercises.”

“The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James offloaded more than 44,550 pounds of cocaine and 3,880 pounds of marijuana valued at approximately $509.9 million in Port Everglades, Wednesday…This patrol resulted in 11 interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the detainment of 34 suspected drug traffickers who were transferred ashore to face federal prosecution…’Over a remarkable 72-hour period, our crews interdicted six go-fast vessels and one low-profile vessel across the vast ocean, culminating in the extraordinary seizure of over 24,000 pounds of cocaine and 15 suspected narco-traffickers.'”

March 24, 2025, “Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk returns home after 70-day, counter-drug patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.”

The three cocaine intercepts by Mohawk were included in the photo and Stone’s offload report immediately below.

Coast Guard offloads over $517.5 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Eastern Pacific Ocean
Crew members from USCGC Stone (WMSL-758) stand at parade rest in front of interdicted narcotics at Port Everglades, Florida, Mar. 20, 2025. The Stone’s crew secured the illegal drugs from 14 interdictions in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class James Hague)

March 20, 2025, “Coast Guard offloads over $517.5 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Eastern Pacific Ocean.”

“The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone offloaded approximately 45,600 pounds of illicit narcotics worth more than $517.5 million at Port Everglades, Thursday.

The seized contraband was the result of 14 interdictions…” (by USCGC Stone and USCGC Mohawk–Chuck)

March 14, 2025, “Coast Guard Cutter Reliance returns home after 60-day maritime border security patrol.”

While underway, the crew assisted in the interdiction of 12 aliens attempting to reach the United States unlawfully by sea, including several young children. Crew members provided humanitarian aid and care until the aliens were repatriated to their country of origin.

No drug interdictions were reported.

March 6, 2025, “Coast Guard offloads over $141 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Caribbean Sea.”

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant’s crew offloaded approximately 12,470 pounds of cocaine, Thursday, worth an estimated $141.4 million at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach…The seized contraband was the result of six interdictions in the Caribbean Sea, and 17 suspected smugglers were transferred ashore to face federal prosecution in U.S. courts.

March 5, 2025, “Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous returns home after 46-day alien interdiction operations, maritime border security patrol.”

“The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous (WMEC 627) returned to their homeport in Portsmouth, Wednesday, following a 46-day maritime border security patrol in the Florida Straits…Throughout the patrol, Vigorous’ crew interdicted, processed and repatriated more than 67 aliens attempting to enter the United States illegally, and transferred six suspected smugglers ashore to HSI custody to support further investigation for potential federal prosecution.”

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) offloaded approximately 37,256 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of more than $275 million, on Thursday in San Diego…The offload is a result of 11 separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche in December through February.

I also got this report from Marine Link.

On March 1, 2025, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf successfully assisted a United States Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) in conducting a seizure of 750 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. This seizure, supported by Colombian air and maritime assets, has an estimated street value $18.8 million.

Where or when this contraband was landed is not clear.

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 10

1800  Congress forbade citizens to own an interest in vessels engaged in the slave trade or to serve on such vessels.

1956  President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law 519, which brought all previously uninspected vessels on navigable waters carrying more than six passengers for hire under inspection laws.  These were chiefly party-fishing motorboats, excursion sailboats, and ferry barges.  Public attention had been focused on the inadequacy of existing inspection laws by the hundreds of lives lost on uninspected vessels.

USCGC Point Grey (WPB-82324) note her M2/81mm piggyback forward, at least three M2s over the stern, and nearly a dozen Coasties on deck preparing the away boat

1966  CGC Point Grey was on patrol near South Vietnam’s Ca Mau peninsula when her crew sighted a 110-foot trawler heading on various courses and speeds.  Suspicions aroused, Point Grey commenced shadowing the trawler.  After observing what appeared to be signal fires on the beach, the cutter hailed the vessel, but received no response.  The trawler ran aground and Point Grey personnel attempted to board it.  Heavy automatic weapons fire from the beach prevented the boarding and two crew and one Army passenger were wounded aboard Point Grey. USCGC Point Cypress, USS Brister (DER-327) and USS Vireo (MSC-205) came to assist.  During the encounter the trawler exploded.  U.S. Navy salvage teams recovered a substantial amount of war material from the sunken vessel.  This incident was the largest, single known infiltration attempt since the Vung Ro Bay incident of February 1965 and was the first “suspicious trawler interdicted by a Market Time unit.”

At about 04:30, Point Grey encountered a steel-hulled trawler trying to make a landfall near the mouth of the Cua Bo De River. The Coast Guard cutter received heavy .50-caliber gunfire when she tried to force the trawler to heave to for inspection but, while requesting assistance in the form of Brister and Vireo, succeeded in forcing the enemy ship aground. At a hasty conference on board Brister, it was decided to attempt to salvage the grounded gun runner. While Point Grey approached the trawler with a towline from Vireo, Brister launched her motor whaleboat to assist. The Coast Guard cutter received a withering machine gun fire from insurgents ashore as she neared the enemy. She answered that fire promptly, and Vireo joined in with 150 rounds of 20-millimetre (0.79 in). Brister, her battery masked by the cutter, could not bring her 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns to bear on the enemy. Ultimately, the Coast Guard cutter had to break contact and move off in order to get her wounded crewmen medical assistance. Vireo covered her retirement with more 20-millimeter fire and provided a haven for Brister‘s motor whaleboat while air strikes were called in to silence the enemy machine gun emplacements. Further air strikes eventually destroyed the trawler,

USCGC Point Cypress (WPB-82326) off An Thoi, 1 November 1968. US Navy photo K60600

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

May 9

1862  USRC Miami a 115-foot schooner-rigged steamer landed President Abraham Lincoln on Confederate-held soil the day before the fall of Norfolk.  The President had decided “to ascertain by personal observation whether some further vigilance and vigor might not be infused into the operations of the Army and Navy” during General George McClellan’s Peninsula campaign.  The President, Secretary of State Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, and Brigadier General Egbert Ludovickus Viele departed Washington, D.C., on board the cutter on May 5.

1939  President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced Reorganization Plan II that transferred the Bureau of Lighthouses to the Treasury Department for consolidation with the Coast Guard. The plan took effect on July 1, 1939.

USCGC Icarus (WPC-110) arriving at Charleston Navy Yard with prisoners of war from the U-boat U-352, 10 May 1942, US Navy photo

1942  CGC Icarus attacked and sank the German submarine U-352 off Moorehead City, North Carolina, and then rescued and took 33 prisoners-of-war, the first German prisoners taken in combat by any U.S. force in World War II. Maurice D. Jester, who had enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1917 commanded Icarus. 

Lt. Cmdr. Maurice D. Jester

The Coast Guard Cutter Legare (WMEC 912) conducts joint training evolutions with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Maurice Jester (WPC 1152), and the French naval ship Premier-Maître L’Her (F792), off the coast of Long Island, New York, on March 16, 2024. Legare worked with Premier-Maître L’Her for a series of engagements and exercises designed to demonstrate interoperability with a critical NATO partner. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Legare)